Applied Materials Cuts Ribbon on 2-MW Solar Power System

By GreenerBuildings Staff
Published October 10, 2008

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SUNNYVALE, Calif. -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger presided over the dedication ceremony of a 2-megawatt solar power system at Applied Materials, one of the largest corporate installations of its kind in the country.

The array features some 7, 500 sun-tracking panels manufactured by the SunPower Corporation. The system serves as a parking lot canopy at the Sunnyale campus and shields the employees' cars from the rays while capturing the power to generate electricity.

The dedication on October 9 of Applied Materials' system is the latest of four developments involving large-scale corporate solar power projects in California in less than a week.

The system is expected to prevent more than 2,700 tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year. That's the equivalent of the annual carbon emissions of approximately 450 passenger cars, according to Applied Materials. If sequestered, it would take 667 acres of pine forest to do the job.

The installation is also expected to generate enough electricity to power the equivalent of about 350 homes for a year. The system installation is expected to be productive for more than 20 years and pay for itself in seven to 10 years, the company said.